Look who has their MCSE now.
undomiel
Member Posts: 2,818
ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I passed!
By the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.
I took the 70-298 first. Started attacking it like it was a speed test but then realized that the time limit really wasn't that pressing. I had 5 testlets and 35 questions. I felt pretty good on that test though I ran into a few surprises. Definitely be sure you read the questions on this one and then look through the case studies several times to make sure you didn't miss anything. I'm a little bit disappointed in my score but that's ok. This test didn't feel as well written as Microsoft's other tests. It had a bit of the ambiguity surrounding the Security+. But all in all if you understand everything you learned in the core tests then you shouldn't have too much of a problem with this test. Don't let the testlet format throw you. This is also the only Microsoft test that I actually maxed out a section bar on! Creating the conceptual design for network infrastructure security by gathering and analyzing business and technical requirements. I scored a 757
Then I turned around and stepped right back in for the 70-294. My momentum was immediately killed by the first question because I was sure of exactly how to deal with the presented situation efficiently and correctly, but none of the answers fit! Back to doing it the Microsoft way. I couldn't build up steam through this test either. 42 questions with 3 simulations. The first half was really boring. I'll be quite happy to not look at a site diagram for a while! The second half got better and was a lot more enjoyable. I had problems with the drag and drop questions on several though. They felt like they didn't include all of the information that was supposed to be there. For several I felt like I was just throwing darts at a dartboard. It was very odd. Of course it could have just been me not quite understanding. I scraped by this test with my worst test score so far: 700.
Completely excited to finally have my MCSE now! Video games and anime for today then updating the resume and job searching for this weekend!
Oh and I wanted to add my thank list as well. Thanks to snadam for all of the study materials! Thanks to dynamik for being himself (take it as you will). Thanks to TE for all of the help. Thanks to my wife for putting up with me. And of course thanks to God for without Him I would have fallen flat on my face from day one.
Total time for MCSE: 7 months, 8 if you count my aborted study attempt in December for the Security+.
I passed!
By the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.
I took the 70-298 first. Started attacking it like it was a speed test but then realized that the time limit really wasn't that pressing. I had 5 testlets and 35 questions. I felt pretty good on that test though I ran into a few surprises. Definitely be sure you read the questions on this one and then look through the case studies several times to make sure you didn't miss anything. I'm a little bit disappointed in my score but that's ok. This test didn't feel as well written as Microsoft's other tests. It had a bit of the ambiguity surrounding the Security+. But all in all if you understand everything you learned in the core tests then you shouldn't have too much of a problem with this test. Don't let the testlet format throw you. This is also the only Microsoft test that I actually maxed out a section bar on! Creating the conceptual design for network infrastructure security by gathering and analyzing business and technical requirements. I scored a 757
Then I turned around and stepped right back in for the 70-294. My momentum was immediately killed by the first question because I was sure of exactly how to deal with the presented situation efficiently and correctly, but none of the answers fit! Back to doing it the Microsoft way. I couldn't build up steam through this test either. 42 questions with 3 simulations. The first half was really boring. I'll be quite happy to not look at a site diagram for a while! The second half got better and was a lot more enjoyable. I had problems with the drag and drop questions on several though. They felt like they didn't include all of the information that was supposed to be there. For several I felt like I was just throwing darts at a dartboard. It was very odd. Of course it could have just been me not quite understanding. I scraped by this test with my worst test score so far: 700.
Completely excited to finally have my MCSE now! Video games and anime for today then updating the resume and job searching for this weekend!
Oh and I wanted to add my thank list as well. Thanks to snadam for all of the study materials! Thanks to dynamik for being himself (take it as you will). Thanks to TE for all of the help. Thanks to my wife for putting up with me. And of course thanks to God for without Him I would have fallen flat on my face from day one.
Total time for MCSE: 7 months, 8 if you count my aborted study attempt in December for the Security+.
Jumping on the IT blogging band wagon -- http://www.jefferyland.com/
Comments
profile: linkedin.com/in/astorrs
What did you score on 298?
Are you sure you never got a full bar before? It's really odd you had good scores on that many exams and never got one. Doing that, as well as a 700, takes some serious skill. Even getting one right on accident could jeopardize either of those achievements. You have some impressive skills!
294 was my least favorite exam. I had a great handle on the material, but I didn't feel confident with a lot my answers on the actual exam.
Seeing as you don't eat meat or drink, I'm going to have to have a steak and a few beers for you just to keep the celebratory karma in balance
Never got a full bar before. Of course never got an empty bar before either. Actually it is pretty odd on this one, most of my bars are pretty high on the 298. Everything on the 294 is pretty close to the half way point except plan and implement group policy was pretty high.
Who knows I may have had a better score on the 294 to begin with. I marked a bunch of questions and changed about half of them when going back through. I came up with good reasons for the changes but you know what they say about second guessing yourself. I was pretty unconfident on most things on that test.
I'll be having a celebratory quiche tonight!
profile: linkedin.com/in/astorrs
CONGRATS!
Im glad I can be of help! Seeming that we have actually met in person, I'm especially happy for you passing. Now YOU can test the job waters for me and put in a good word at your new gig
I will be celebrating in your honor tomorrow.
:study: Current 2015 Goals: JNCIP-SEC JNCIS-ENT CCNA-Security
That's awesome, I can only imagine the feeling of being done with your MCSE. That's a lot of work you put in in a relatively short time.
Good luck with your job search, I'm sure you'll tell us how it goes.
What matters is you passed, and you understand the material. I'm sure you did both.
hope to get there myself one of these days.
Now go find a nice job....
Don't get so upset...it's just ones and zeros.
Im on 20...
:study: Current 2015 Goals: JNCIP-SEC JNCIS-ENT CCNA-Security
Would it help if excluding the Security+ and accounting for only all of the Microsoft exams themselves my transcript shows just 4 months?
nope, not at all
:study: Current 2015 Goals: JNCIP-SEC JNCIS-ENT CCNA-Security